Question

1. As we know that the leaves of plants are waterproof due to cuticle. On the

same way, take some pieces of paper of leaf size and make them waterproof. After

completion, put half of these paper pieces in cold water and half in hot water. Do all

the pieces of paper remains waterproof? Explain your observations and results with

justifications.​

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

In deserts, water is scarce and saving water is essential for plant growth in such conditions.  

In many of the desert plants like Yucca, creosote, cactus, etc, the epidermis has a thick waxy coating of cutin which acts as a waterproof covering.

This restricts the loss of water by transpiration.

The plant cuticle is a layer of lipid polymers impregnated with waxes that is present on the outer surfaces of the primary organs of all vascular land plants. It is also present in the sporophyte generation of hornworts, and in both sporophyte and gametophyte generations of mosses[2] The plant cuticle forms a coherent outer covering of the plant that can be isolated intact by treating plant tissue with enzymes such as pectinase and cellulase.

Composition

The cuticle is composed of an insoluble cuticular membrane impregnated by and covered with soluble waxes. Cutin, a polyester polymer composed of inter-esterified omega hydroxy acids which are cross-linked by ester and epoxide bonds, is the best-known structural component of the cuticular membrane.The cuticle can also contain a non-saponifiable hydrocarbon polymer known as Cutan. The cuticular membrane is impregnated with cuticular waxes and covered with epicuticular waxes, which are mixtures of hydrophobic aliphatic compounds, hydrocarbons with chain lengths typically in the range C16 to C36.